Career Research: Researching with Databases

A very simple definition of a database -- A collection of information that can be accessed and searched through the Internet.

Polk State Libraries subscribes to over 100 databases.  Many are specialized and contain magazine and newspaper articles on a specific topic such as: Careers, Education, Psychology, Health Sciences etc.  

The databases are organized either alphabetically or by subject.  If you are not sure which database will be most useful. choose the subject listing, or consult with the librarian.

As a student at Polk, you have access to many career databases including:
(Require log in to view them)

• Occupational Outlook Handbook
  (The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook is revised every two years).
• Ferguson's Career Guidance Center
  Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center is a comprehensive career research database, providing detailed and up-to-date profiles of more than 2,900 of today’s most popular jobs in 93 industries. This database now contains more than 1,000 new and updated in-depth job and industry descriptions from the new edition of Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance and from the popular Career Opportunities series—as well as a searchable archive of articles from current and past issues of Career Opportunities News, a 16-page, bi-monthly newsletter that provides timely information about colleges and the job market.

To log in to the library's online resources (databases, ebooks, articles, videos...), simply visit the Polk State Library Homepage and Articles/Databases and log in using the credentials listed below.